Artist Name: Genuardi/Ruta | Antonella Genuardi & Leonardo Ruta
Residency Dates: March – April 2025
Born: 1986 | 1990
Hometowns: Sciacca | Ragusa, Sicily, Italy
Live & Work: Palermo, Sicily, Italy
URL: genuardiruta.com | Instagram @genuardiruta
Education:
Antonella Genuardi
PHD in Artistic Practices and Art History (started in December 2024), Fine Arts Academy, Palermo
2012 – MFA Decoration, Fine Arts Academy, Palermo
2008 – BA Decoration, Fine Arts Academy, Palermo
Leonardo Ruta
2015 – MFA Painting, Fine Arts Academy, Palermo
2013 – BA Printmaking, Fine Arts Academy, Palermo
Bio/Statement:
Genuardi/Ruta is an artist duo formed by Antonella Genuardi and Leonardo Ruta in 2014 at the Academy of Fine Arts in Palermo. Genuardi/Ruta’s way of working starts from an idea of painting that gradually, over time, seeks physical space, architecture, first as a support and then as the driving force and reason for the work itself. Their works have always aimed to convey the profound essence of places, starting from the light that touched, colored, and gave them meaning. Gradually, they moved to actively engaging with architecture, using geometry to synthesize its specific features, free spaces from their assigned functions, suggest new perspectives, or translate luminous relationships. In their most recent projects, this painting – that ‘reads’ and frees a space – has been transforming into a painting that ‘builds’ a space, a painting to be inhabited.
Their solo exhibitions include: Le trombe d’oro della solarità, Winter Open Studios, The American Academy in Rome (2023); a duo show with John M Armleder, Lemoyne Project, Zurich (2022); Locomotive Breath, Casa Azul, Torres-Vedras (2020); Wormhole, FPAC Gallery, Milan (2019); La danza dei giganti, Magazzino Brancaccio – Oltre Oreto Project, Collateral Events, Manifesta 12, Palermo (2018); Supercella SS115, MAS Project, Modica (2017). Their notable group shows include: Giorni Felici¿, a project by Fondazione Merz, ZACentrale, Palermo (2023); Recht Trifft Kunst, a project by Haus der Kunst, Düsseldorf (2022); Talent Prize, Mattatoio, Rome (2019); La vita della mente, Swiss Institute in Rome (2017).
Genuardi/Ruta has participated in various artist residency programs, such as the Fondation Cab, St. Paul de Vence (2024); Connect Institute in Agadir (2023); American Academy in Rome with the support of Fondazione Sicilia (2022/2023); I.D.E.A. Salento, Masseria Canali, Casarano, project by Nicoletta Rusconi (2021). Also, they won the 8th edition of the Italian Council in 2020 supported by Mic and MAECI.
Currently, they are art directors of L’Ascensore, an independent art space in Palermo, and collaborate on the Spazio Acrobazie project, which works with incarcerated youth at the Malaspina Juvenile Institute, supported by Fondazione CON IL SUD and Fondazione Sicilia.
Support: Genuardi/Ruta’s residency is made possible with support from Elenka per l’arte, Fondazione Sicilia, Ruber Contemporanea, Nicoletta Rusconi, and ADVANT nctm.
